Addressing the needs of inmates with mental illness and/or substance abuse disorders Taking the Sequential Intercept Model to the Next Level
Panelists Christina Finello, Deputy Director, Human Services Kevin Rousset, Superintendent, Department of Corrections, Community Corrections Centers Jon Rubin, Director Human Services Wendy Flanigan, Coordinator of Service Development and Quality Management, Mental Health/Developmental Programs Ana Rosado, Clinical Director, Bucks County Drug and Alcohol Commission Warren Grant, Deputy Chief, Adult Probation and Parole Department Christine Walsh, Supervisor, Adult Probation and Parole Department
Background In September 2010, Bucks County participated in a Cross- Systems Mapping through the Pennsylvania Mental Health and Justice Center of Excellence Out of this work, Behavioral Health Subcommittee of the Bucks County Criminal Justice Advisory Board (CJAB) developed In July 2015, CJAB reinstituted Behavioral Health Subcommittee and renamed it Human Services Subcommittee
Purpose of Human Services Subcommittee Support the activities and programs that enhance integration of criminal justice and human services systems in Bucks County Promote the use and successful implementation of outcome based services Foster regular communication and collaboration among its members
Activities of Subcommittee Develop mission and goals Update mapping document Decide priorities Implement action plan Develop strategic plan Develop and track outcomes Report out to CJAB for executive sponsorship
Mission Statement Advisory workgroup of the CJAB to support the activities and programs that will enhance collaboration of the criminal justice and human services systems in Bucks County, identify gaps and recognize opportunities, distinguish best practices and evidence based practices, ascertain relevant outcomes and make recommendations to the CJAB that will require its approval
Desired Results Increased communication Increased collaboration Increased responsiveness to funding sources Increased strategic planning around common goals between human services and criminal justice systems Increased sustainability of cross-systems programs that are successful Addressing Human Services needs can recidivism and expenditures in CJ system while public health and safety outcomes
Updated Mapping First meeting July 2015, then met 4 times in 5 months Work done in between meetings Tasked with bringing revised mapping document to January CJAB meeting for approval Reworked narrative Reviewed gaps and opportunities at each intercept and added new ones as appropriate Amended and modified priorities Developed new action plan Synthesized new information from committee work into completed mapping document presented to CJAB for approval in January 2016
After Remapping Subcommittee continues to meet After approval from CJAB, began to carry out action plan concentrated on Intercept 2 and Intercept 4 ideas Recruited and engaged individuals from various stakeholder departments to assist Continue to recruit subcommittee members as necessary to carry out subcommittee objectives Track and monitor progress
Assignment from Long Range Planning Committee of Bucks County Prison Board Address overcrowding at the jail Issue crossed all intercepts Look at scope of issue (landscape overview) Determine needs to address issue Make recommendations to Long Range Planning Committee Built off of the Human Services Subcommittee Key representatives involved with process at each intercept
Approach Overcrowding at jail (Intercept 3) not the result of just one intercept Intercepts are interdependent Wanted to better characterize the population in the jail Match resources (or proposed resources) to identified need
Approach To address issue, looked intercept by intercept Assess current programs What we had, what was missing Resources Gaps and Opportunities Strength and weaknesses Candid discussion Encouraged dialogue on disparate points of view
Examples of Specific Areas Discussed Intercept 1 CIT Intercept 2 Intercept 3 Forensic Transition Center Drug Court Intercept 4 Intercept 5 Strengthen community resources Field Probation Officers caseload
Communicating our Recommendations Audience Long Range Planning Committee of Bucks County Prison Board Devised a plan for report and did a midpoint check in with group Final report and recommendations Used data to support our recommendations Challenges
Final Report Format Executive Summary Menu of items organized into three levels: Swift Strikes Opportunities for Enhancement Extended Targets
Final Report Format At each intercept, there was a goal that was tied to the overall goal of reduction of overcrowding at the jail Intercept 1 (Law Enforcement) - if a police officer/first responder, during an initial interaction, can recognize a behavioral health need and initiate a process to intervene and obtain proper treatment instead of arrest, it would thereby reduce the flow through the front door of the criminal justice system Intercept 2 (Initial Detention & Initial Hearings) - at the time of initial detention, if more information can be gathered and there can be a consideration of alternative placement and response beyond criminal justice placement, individuals can obtain the treatment and support they need sooner, thereby lessening the influx into the criminal justice system
Final Report Format Intercept 3 (Jails & Courts) - individuals who are in the criminal justice system receive supportive services to allow them to get out sooner, integrate better, and decrease the chance of returning to jail. Courts are responsive to particular situations while maintaining authority to address the root causes of the criminal behavior to reduce the potential for recidivism Intercept 4 (Reentry) - as offenders reenter the community, they are connected to the appropriate level of supports and safely integrate while reducing the likelihood of recidivism Intercept 5 (Community Corrections [Probation/Parole]/Community Supports) - reinforcement of earlier system interventions will allow the criminal justice system to withdraw from the individual safely with appropriate community connections and supports
Final Report Format At each intercept: Current resource/statement of need Recommendation (specific, realistic, matching need) Cost (how much, potential funding sources) Evaluation (how will we define success, how will we know impact on overcrowding) There are a number of recommendations at each intercept Provides flexibility Overarching recommendations Evaluation, Offender Management System, Forensic Manager
QUESTIONS?
Contact information Christina Finello, Deputy Director, Human Services, cmfinello@buckscounty.org Kevin Rousset, Superintendent, Department of Corrections, Community Corrections Centers, kmrousset@buckscounty.org Jon Rubin, Director Human Services, jerubin@buckscounty.org Wendy Flanigan, Coordinator of Service Development and Quality Management, Mental Health/Developmental Programs, wflanigan@buckscounty.org Ana Rosado, Clinical Director, Bucks County Drug and Alcohol Commission, arosado@buckscounty.org Warren Grant, Deputy Chief, Adult Probation and Parole Department, wrgrant@buckscounty.org Christine Walsh, Supervisor, Adult Probation and Parole Department, cawalsh@buckscounty.org